Gum inhibiting treatment of cracked petroleum distillates



Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUM INHIBITINGTREATIHENT OF CRACKED PETROLEUM DISTILLATES Herman P. Lankelma,Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Standard Oil Company, Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio 6 Claims.

This invention relates to the preparation of stable products fromcracked petroleum distillates, and more particularly from crackednaphthas for motor fuels. As now well known, cracked distillatesinherently tend to develop more or less gum formation and also go offcolor. It is among the objects of the invention to inhibit suchdetrimental tendencies in cracked distillates, and in a manner which canbe carried out without material disarrangement of desirable practicegenerally.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the inventionthen, consists of the features hereinafter fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the following descriptionsetting forth in detail certain embodiments of the invention, thesebeing illustrative however, of but a few of the various ways in whichthe principle of the invention may be employed.

In accordance with my invention, a cracked petroleum distillate such asis prone to develop gum formation is subjected to the action of an acylderivative of an amino-phenol, that is, an amino-phenol in which atleast one amino-hy drogen atom is substituted by a radical from thegroup of acyls, such for instance as acetylamino-phenols, and in aspecific illustration para-acetyl-amino-phenol.

One or more of these agents is incorporated in the cracked distillate tobe treated. The amount of such agent required is small, for instance,0.0904 to 0.5 per cent. In general therefore, it is not necessary toexceed one-half of one per cent, or at the outside one per cent, amountsthereover being wasted. A desirable manner of incorporating the materialinto the petroleum distillate may involve first dissolving the agent ina suitable solvent, as for instance ether, benzol, or the like, and suchsolution may then be mixed with the distillate. The petroleum distillatemay have been previously subjected to a customary lye wash if desired,and in fact a slight alkaline or at least neutral reaction of thedistillate is advantageous. The mixing may be effected in any convenientmanner, as for instance adding the agent to the petroleum in a containerand suitably agitating to a good dissemination, or proportionallyfeeding into a flowing stream of 50 the petroleum in calibrated amount.

Example-20 pounds of para-acetyl-aminophenol is dissolved in a desiredamount of benzol and this in turn is mixed with 2500 barrels of crackedgasoline.

= similarly. as indicated. arm of the various agents contemplated can beincorporated, and cracked distillates be so treated, with the productionof motor fuels, and the like, which may be successfully stored and used,with control of the gumming and discoloration tendencies otherwise proneto occur.

This application is a division of my applicalion Serial No. 473,774,filed August 7th, 1930.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employedinstead of the details disclosed, change being made as regards suchdetails, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, orthe equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis- 7o tinctly claim as myinvention:-

1. A volatile cracked petroleum distillate treated with a small amountof an acyl-substituted amino-phenol.

2. A volatile cracked petroleum distillate 75 treated with a smallamount of an acetyl-aminophenol.

3. A volatile cracked petroleum distillate treated with a small amountof para-acetylamino-phenol.

4. A process of treating a cracked petroleum distillate, which comprisessubjecting such distillate to the action of a small amount of anacylsubstituted amino-phenol.

5. A process of treating a cracked petroleum s5 distillate, whichcomprises subjecting such dis tillate to the action of a small amount ofan acetyl-amino-phenol.

6. A process of treating a cracked petroleum distillate, which comprisessubjecting such dis- 90 tillate to the action of a small amount ofpara-' acetyl-amino-phenol.

HERMAN P. LANKELMA.

